The Exchange

“…casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7 AMP

I’ll be the first to admit I have often worried about things more than I probably should. I’m not sure if it is just my analytical mind working overtime, or the fact that I have a lot of quiet moments to rehearse scenarios in my head. Either way I realized that it was something that I needed to process through.

I know that God hasn’t given me a spirit of fear, but if I can just be totally transparent for a minute, there are things that I see and have experienced that at times cause anxiety and worry in my life.

One morning while lying in bed I was reminded of something I hadn’t done in a while and needed to do:

Cast. My. Cares. On. The. Lord.

I was worried because I was holding onto the cares instead of giving them to One who can really handle it.

The biblical word for cast literally means to throw, hurl, or fling.

When I read that, I notice that it’s something that requires effort.  It’s not a casual handing over, but taking whatever it is and with force launching it as far away from you as possible. In my mind I picture myself taking my concerns about a relationship, my job or my family and saying “Here you go Lord, that’s for you!”

Our Father invites us to cast our cares on Him. But we have to be honest with ourselves about what the “cares” are. Some past. Some present. Some future. Whatever it may be, give yourself permission to experience those feelings and emotions. Why they’re there, and where they come from.

We do ourselves a disservice when we tell ourselves we’re not concerned or anxious -when we really are.

Consider the woman with the issue of blood who desired restored health. Mary and Martha and their broken hearts over their brother’s death. Hannah and her desire for a child. Or Bartemaus who was blind but wanted sight. The one thing I see they all had in common was they didn’t hold onto their cares but turned it over to the Lord who was able to work miracles!

Scriptures reminds us to pour out our hearts (Psalm 62) not hide them. Deep healing often comes when we are honest with ourselves about the things that burden us. Sometimes it’s not always a ”verse a day” that keeps the worry away, it’s the gut wrenching work of bringing our bare hearts before the Lord, knowing He is strong enough to take everything we throw at Him.  It’s not always my first response, but moment by moment the Lord is helping me to cast my cares on Him, exchanging it for the peace of knowing I will be ok because He cares so much for me.

And I hope you know He will do the same for you!

With love always!

Keisha